Head to head
Google Pixel 8a vs OnePlus 13
OnePlus 13 leads 12 to 2 on the 14 rankable specs, but Google Pixel 8a costs $400 less.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
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OnePlus 12$799iPhone 16$799Google Pixel 9$799Samsung Galaxy S24$799Samsung Galaxy S25$799iPhone 17$799ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$899iPhone 16 Plus$899iPhone 16 Pro$999Google Pixel 9 Pro$999Samsung Galaxy S24+$999Samsung Galaxy S25+$999iPhone 17 Pro$999iPhone Air$999Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6$1,099Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,099iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,199iPhone 17 Pro Max$1,199Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,299Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra$1,299Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,399OnePlus Open$1,699Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold$1,799Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,899Swap
Compare a different phone
OnePlus 12$799iPhone 16$799Google Pixel 9$799Samsung Galaxy S24$799Samsung Galaxy S25$799iPhone 17$799ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra$899iPhone 16 Plus$899iPhone 16 Pro$999Google Pixel 9 Pro$999Samsung Galaxy S24+$999Samsung Galaxy S25+$999iPhone 17 Pro$999iPhone Air$999Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6$1,099Google Pixel 9 Pro XL$1,099iPhone 16 Pro Max$1,199iPhone 17 Pro Max$1,199Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,299Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra$1,299Xiaomi 14 Ultra$1,399OnePlus Open$1,699Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold$1,799Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6$1,899Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 2 to 12
Buy the OnePlus 13.
- Leads 12 of 14 rankable overall specs; Google Pixel 8a takes 2.
- Size: 6.82 inches vs 6.1 inches
- RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 8 GB LPDDR5x
- Google Pixel 8a is $400 cheaper. Pay the difference only if size matters to you.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:Google Pixel 8a · NoTrips:OnePlus 13 · No
- Trips:Google Pixel 8a · NoTrips:OnePlus 13 · No
- Trips:Google Pixel 8a · NoClear:OnePlus 13 · Yes (100W SUPERVOOC adapter included in…
- Clear:Google Pixel 8a · 7 years of OS, security, and Feature Dr…Trips:OnePlus 13 · 4 major Android OS updates & 6 years se…
- Trips:Google Pixel 8a · IP67 dust/water resistantClear:OnePlus 13 · IP68 and IP69 dust and high-pressure wa…
- Trips:Google Pixel 8a · NoTrips:OnePlus 13 · No
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Weight
188 g (6.63 oz)
OnePlus
213 g (7.51 oz)
Size
6.1 inches
OnePlus
6.82 inches
Chipset≠
Google Tensor G3 (Titan M2 security coprocessor)
OnePlus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm)
RAM
8 GB LPDDR5x
OnePlus
16 GB LPDDR5X (up to 24 GB)
Max optical zoom
None (2x lossless Super Res Zoom)
OnePlus
3x optical zoom (6x in-sensor lossless zoom, up to 120x digital)
Capacity
4,492 mAh
OnePlus
6,000 mAh
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Google: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
OnePlus: What to watch for
- Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Body
leads 1-0| Dimensions | 152.1 × 72.7 × 8.9 mm | 162.9 × 76.5 × 8.5 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) (wins this row: lower) | 213 g (7.51 oz) |
| Build | Matte composite back with aluminum frame | Aluminum frame with Crystal Shield glass front and ceramic/glass back |
| Water / dust rating | IP67 dust/water resistant | IP68 and IP69 dust and high-pressure water resistant |
| Colors | Bay, Aloe, Porcelain, Obsidian | Midnight Ocean, Black Eclipse, Arctic Dawn |
| Stylus | No | No |
Display
leads 4-0| Type | Actua OLED | 2K Oriental LTPO AMOLED (DisplayMate A++) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.82 inches (wins this row: higher) |
| Resolution | 2400 × 1080 (FHD+) | 3168 × 1440 (2K ProXDR) (wins this row: higher) |
| Pixel density | 430 ppi | 510 ppi (wins this row: higher) |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz (Smooth Display 60–120Hz) | 120 Hz (1–120Hz dynamic LTPO) |
| Peak brightness | 2,000 nits peak / 1,400 nits HDR | 4,500 nits peak / 1,600 nits HBM (wins this row: higher) |
| HDR | HDR support (HDR10, HLG) | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR Vivid |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | OnePlus Crystal Shield Ceramic Glass |
| Always-on display | Yes (Always-on with At a Glance) | Yes |
Platform
5 differences| Operating system | Android 14 | OxygenOS 15 (Android 15) |
|---|---|---|
| Software support | 7 years of OS, security, and Feature Drop updates | 4 major Android OS updates & 6 years security updates |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G3 (Titan M2 security coprocessor) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) |
| CPU | 9-core (1× Cortex-X3 + 4× Cortex-A715 + 4× Cortex-A510) | 8-core Oryon CPU (2× 4.32 GHz Prime + 6× 3.53 GHz Performance) |
| GPU | Immortalis-G715s MC10 | Adreno 830 |
Memory
leads 2-0| RAM | 8 GB LPDDR5x | 16 GB LPDDR5X (up to 24 GB) (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher) |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB (UFS 3.1) | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| microSD | No | No |
Rear camera
leads 2-1| Main | 64 MP Quad PD (f/1.89, 26mm, 1/1.73", OIS, Super Res Zoom up to 8x) (wins this row: higher) | 50 MP Sony LYT-808 (f/1.6, 23mm, 1/1.4", multi-directional PDAF, OIS) |
|---|---|---|
| Ultrawide | 13 MP (f/2.2, 120° FOV) | 50 MP (f/2.0, 15mm, 120° FOV, AF macro) (wins this row: higher) |
| Telephoto | None (Super Res Zoom 2x sensor crop / up to 8x digital) | 50 MP 3x periscope telephoto (f/2.6, 73mm, 1/1.95", multi-prism, OIS) |
| Max optical zoom | None (2x lossless Super Res Zoom) | 3x optical zoom (6x in-sensor lossless zoom, up to 120x digital) (wins this row: higher) |
| Stabilization | Optical + electronic image stabilization on main | OIS on main camera and 3x periscope telephoto |
| Video | 4K at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60 fps | 8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60 fps Dolby Vision HDR |
Front camera
leads 1-0| Selfie camera | 13 MP (f/2.2, 96.5° ultrawide FOV) | 32 MP (f/2.4, 21mm, autofocus) (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Selfie video | 4K at 30 fps, 1080p at 30 fps | 4K at 30/60 fps |
Battery & charging
leads 3-0| Capacity | 4,492 mAh | 6,000 mAh (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Wired chargingNot on the official sheet | 18W wired fast charging (USB-PD 3.0) | 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging (1–100% in 36 min) (wins this row: higher) |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi wireless charging | 50W AIRVOOC wireless fast charging |
| Reverse wireless | No | 10W reverse wireless charging |
| Charger in box | No | Yes (100W SUPERVOOC adapter included in US) (wins this row: has it) |
Audio
1 differences| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and spatial audio |
|---|---|---|
| Headphone jack | No | No |
Connectivity
6 differences| Cellular | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave on carrier variants) | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave on US model) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax tri-band) | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be tri-band) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes (Google Wallet) | Yes (360° omnidirectional NFC antenna) |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 | USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort video out) |
| SIM | Single Nano-SIM + eSIM | Dual Nano-SIM + eSIM support |
Features
3 differences| Biometrics | Under-display fingerprint sensor + Face Unlock | Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + Face Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Extra controls | None | Alert Slider (Ring/Vibrate/Silent) |
| Standout features | Google AI photography (Best Take, Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser), Call Screen, 7-year update guarantee | 6,000 mAh Glacier Silicon-Carbon battery, 100W fast charging, IP69 rating, Hasselblad Master Camera System, Alert Slider |
Which one should you buy
Pick this one if
Google Pixel 8a
6.1-inch mid-range phone powered by Google Tensor G3, Actua 120Hz display, and 7 years of software support.
- Exceptional photo quality for $499
- 7 full years of Android OS and security updates
- Bright 120Hz Actua display with IP67 water resistance
What you give up
- Thicker bezels than flagship phones
- 18W wired charging is slower than competitors
Pick this one if
OnePlus 13
Flagship power smartphone featuring Snapdragon 8 Elite, massive 6,000 mAh Glacier battery with 100W charging, IP68/IP69 rating, and Hasselblad triple 50MP cameras.
- Massive 6,000 mAh Silicon-Carbon Glacier battery with 100W wired / 50W wireless charging
- Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship performance with up to 24GB RAM options
- Stunning 2K 120Hz ProXDR display with 4,500 nits peak brightness and IP69 water/dust resistance
What you give up
- USB-C cable in box requires proprietary SuperVOOC charger for top speeds
- Thick circular camera island design
Best for each use
Photos
For photos, buy the OnePlus 13.
Battery & updates
For battery & updates, buy the OnePlus 13.
Games & video
For games & video, buy the OnePlus 13.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: Google Pixel 8a ↗ · OnePlus 13 ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the Google Pixel 8a or the OnePlus 13?
Google Pixel 8a costs $400 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the Google Pixel 8a or OnePlus 13?
Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Which is better for photos, the Google Pixel 8a or the OnePlus 13?
For photos, buy the OnePlus 13. Leads 3 of 4 rankable photos specs; Google Pixel 8a takes 1. Max optical zoom: 3x optical zoom vs None
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 48 specs tracked here, 34 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.